Duende
by Leaf.On.The.Wind.08
Summary: An Asgardian bracelet gives Grant Ward a power he wasn't expecting (This was written as an answer to this prompt on tumblr: Duende - Unusual power to attract or charm)


"What is that?"

Grant Ward took an instinctive step back when he saw the engravings on the bracelet.

Just like the ones on the Berserker staff.

"It's Asgardian", replied Cal, not noticing Ward's reaction. "I got it from an old friend. It has a power that can help us."

Ward felt a kind of primal panic rise in his chest. He took a few deep breaths to try and control it, but kept a distance between him and the bracelet.

"What kind of power?"

"Seduction", answered Cal with an embarrassed smile.

Ward felt a little relief, but he was still on guard.

"Any… side effect?"

"Aside from having everyone at your feet, none that I know of."

Ward took a step forward but Cal quickly closed the box the bracelet was in.

"You can put it on later."

A weight had been lifted from his shoulder. Seeing that bracelet… Cal could say there were no side effects, but it wasn't true. He had been able to feel that thing's power, even from a distance. Even without touching it.

Once you had experienced Asgardian's power… It kept a hold on you. Forever.

"You'll use it tonight."

Tonight. The mission. The woman with the intel. The hydra agent who knew where Whitehall was hiding.

The last piece of their puzzle.

Ward took a deep breath. It was only a means to an end. He would wear the Asgardian bracelet for maybe an hour, and then take it off and never use it again.

It was not the same power as the staff. It would not take over.

It would not destroy him.

* * *

He entered the ballroom and took a look around, gathering all the informations he needed in the first seconds. Three possible exits, all guarded by two armed men each. One more guard at each corner of the room.

His target was next to the bar, talking with unimportant men. Her red dress made her stand out, in a room filled with men in dark suits and women in black evening dresses. She was carelessly touching one of the men's forearm and laughing a bit too intentionally; Ward was not the only one working tonight.

He took the box out of his pocket and put on the bracelet.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Every person in the room was now noticing him, trying not to look at him too obviously, but unable to do so. He had immediately become the center of attention. He could feel every man and every woman's gaze on him. For a second, the thought of taking the bracelet off crossed his mind, but he focused on his mission and started walking toward the woman in red.

This power was like nothing he had experienced before. He had always had charm, and had always been able to use it to his advantage; well, except maybe for that time in Zloda. But this was something else. He wasn't feeling the power of the bracelet on himself and that was a relief; he had been afraid of effects similar to the staff's. But he was feeling its power over everyone else. He _had_ power over everyone else. And he didn't like it, didn't like being so powerful. It felt dangerous.

But he had a mission. He had to focus.

His eyes locked with hers, and he opened his mouth to start flirting when he approached her, but he felt he didn't even need that. He took her hand, and she followed him without any resistance.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"I have a room upstairs."

The plan was to make her talk, but not to have everyone hear what she had to say. He needed a quiet place, and Cal had booked a suite so they would have a private place to have that talk.

But he hadn't expected the bracelet's power to be _that_ strong.

As soon as they entered the elevator, she started coming on to him. First, she tangled their fingers, and caressed his forearm; just has she had done to that other guy a minute earlier. That lasted until floor 6. Then she came closer to him and grabbed his tie on floor 10, pulling his face towards hers, to a passionate 12th floor kiss he had not been expected. Luckily, their room was on floor 14, which gave him the opportunity to break the kiss with relief, before leading her to the room.

"Sit", he said as soon as he had closed the door. She obeyed instantly, and a weird feeling took hold of his stomach. This was not right.

He went to close the blinds, but it was really just an excuse to grab a few seconds to clear up his mind. He was getting a weird vibe from the whole situation.

When he turned around, the woman was facing him. She walked towards him and before he could do anything, she started undressing him. He froze. He couldn't move. Flashbacks from Vegas invaded his mind.

He was doing to that woman the exact same thing Lorelei had done to him.

He took the bracelet off, just as she was reaching for his belt.

That was a line he wasn't made to cross. Not now, not ever.

She looked up at him with surprise, not understanding what was happening.

"What the-"

"I'm sorry", he said. "You should leave, now."

She turned around and left the room, staggering on her heels.

Ward sat on the bed and buried his face in his hands. He was shaking. The implications of the bracelet's power were mixing with flashbacks in his mind, and he felt lost. Frightened.

He looked at the bracelet laying on the floor. It seemed so innocent; and yet Ward was realizing how powerful it was. How dangerous. So much more dangerous than the Berserker staff.

He took out the box and carefully managed to put the bracelet back in it without touching it. He put the box in the inner pocket of his suit and left the room.

He didn't get the information they were looking for and he didn't care. They would get to that later.

For now, he had to hide the bracelet. And he knew exactly the place. A faraway safe where no one would ever find it.

Until he could find a way to destroy it.


End file.
